Danish development studio Press Play has announced the release date for Kalimba as Wednesday December 17th, 2014! The upcoming platform game is scheduled for digital release on Xbox One.
Initially revealed under code name ‘Project Totem’, Kalimba is a charming yet challenging platformer that features both single-player and couch co-op modes of play. Players control multiple colorful, animated totems on a journey to reclaim the island of Kalimba from the clutches of an evil shaman.
The idea for Kalimba was conceived while Press Plays’ Stanby brothers were working on Max: The Curse of Brotherhood. Asger Strandby, Creative Director for Press Play, says, “My brother and I needed a creative outlet, so we started working on a small side-project in our spare time.” The game was greenlit after the brothers demoed the game at a party. With positive reactions from both colleagues and audiences at PAX and GDC this year, the feedback was taken into consideration when developing the final versions of the game.
Kalimba spans across three different worlds and boasts multiple flashy levels. The totem-filled game features a unique triangular, retro art style and it is this originality that gives each level, enemy, and totem a wonderfully addicting look and feel, which sets the style standard for the puzzle game. As players move about the levels, they build their totems. Carvings and decor on each piece in the totem indicate how well the player is doing throughout a level, which creates a visual of leaderboard standings.
Younger brother Bo Standby adds, “Finding and fixing bugs all day long can be tiring, so working on something fresh on the side gave us a chance to be creative and test out new ideas.”
Kalimba will be available worldwide from December 17th on Xbox One for $9.99. A PC version is expected to launch in January 2015.
